Jibo Robot

[SVT10th]

This is cool.
Even though it's not mobile, it reminds me a bit of "Robot" from the movie Robot and Frank. (if you haven't seen it, I recommend it highly -- available on Netflix and Amazon streaming.)

Anyway, check out the article linked below -- watch the Youtube video in it.

If this really works as well as the prototype, this could be the beginning. This is just a device that right now, acts as a concierge, essentially -- but it has a lot of potential. With the appropriate updates, evolution and public acceptance, this could be the computerized home manager system that sci-fi has been promising us for 50 years.

Imagine: It is inconceivable to my teen daughter that we grew up without computers and Internet. Someday HER kids might find it just as unimaginable that she didn't grow up with robotic assistance....

http://mashable.com/2014/07/16/jibo-worlds-first-family-robot/

[390gtconv]

Where I work @ Benchmark Electronics, one of our business groups builds three different size robots for well known clients. i got to play with the smallest one. Pretty cool.

[TorchredSVT]

I do not see the point in that robot other than becoming a moving toy to skype with..........

[SVT10th]

I do not see the point in that robot other than becoming a moving toy to skype with..........

Well, except for the part where it can recognize each person in it's "family" using facial recognition and read them the appropriate emails/voice mails, pre-screen callers and put through the "important" ones. (and place orders for takeout!)
And even the skype part is pretty cool -- being able to recognize and follow the "flow" of conversation and orient the camera appropriately to the person speaking. Have you ever skype'd with a group of people on one end? The biggest problem is trying to either A) get everyone into the view, or B) panning the camera for each person turn.

It's not about what it does TODAY, but the potential for what it can do tomorrow. The other notible feature is it's price -- expected to be <$500. That's less than a top of the line smartphone. The barrier to entry for a lot of previous "home robot" tech was price and capability. Hell, this thing doesn't cost too much more than a Roomba. And that only vacuums.

I don't know. <shrug> I think it's cool and could be a viable precursor to home robot tech. Or it could fail miserably.
But someone will succeed with something like it. And within 20 years (probably 10), something like this will be as omni-present in everyday life as a smartphone is right now.